Alternatives to Zero-Tolerance Working Group

The Alternatives to Zero-Tolerance Working Group develops federal policy recommendations and national action strategies for promoting positive alternatives to zero-tolerance discipline, such as Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, restorative practices, conflict resolution and mediation programs.

 

Getting Involved in ESEA Reform

The Dignity in Schools Campaign (DSC) is bringing together parents, students, educators, researchers and attorneys to change federal law to make positive improvements in school discipline.
 
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA, also known as No Child Left Behind), is the federal government’s main education law. The ESEA allows Congress to provide education funding to states, so long as states and school districts meet certain requirements set out in the law.
 
We have an opportunity to make sure that under the new version of ESEA, school districts carry out positive school discipline reforms.
 
You can get involved by joining the DSC ESEA Reauthorization Working Groups. For more information please contact info(at)dignityinschools.org.
 

Letter on Ending Corporal Punishment

DSC members and roughly 90 organizations, coalitions and individuals signed-on to the ACLU letter in support of the "Ending Corporal Punishment in Schools Act" to ban corporal punishment.

On June 29, Representative McCarthy introduced  the bill in the House of Representatives and will held a press conference in Washington DC.

 

DSC Letter to Office of Civil Rights on Civil Rights Data Collection

On May 3, the Dignity in Schools Campaign submitted a sign-on letter commenting on the proposed extension of the US Department of Education's Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC).  The CRDC is our best national survey of the disciplinary practices of schools and districts. 
 
The letter asks the Department of Education to expand the survey to all schools nationwide and to conduct the survey every year (currently, the CDRC surveys only half of the nation's school districts every two years). The Dignity in Schools Campaign also recommends adding additional reporting categories, including pre-kindergarten disciplinary data, information on alternative schools, school arrests and referrals to law enforcement, and data on incarcerated youth.

 

DSC Submits Letter to Senate Committee on ESEA and the Whole Child

On April 22, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing entitled ESEA and Addressing the Needs of the Whole Child.  School discipline was among the topics covered, featuring testimony from George Sugai about Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. 

 

DSC Letter on Corporal Punishment and Its Impact on Learning, Submitted to House Committee

On Thursday, April 15, the House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities held a hearing entitled, "Corporal Punishment in Schools and its Effect on Academic Success." The Subcommittee's Chairwoman, Representative Carolyn McCarthy, looks to address school-based corporal punishment's academic harms in the upcoming reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

  • The DSC submitted a sign-on letter to support the issues being discussed at the hearing and to raise awareness for the need to address the impact of exclusionary practices on student learning as well.

 

Reauthorization of ESEA (No Child Left Behind)

The Dignity in Schools Campaign is convening parents, students, educators, researchers, and attorneys who want to see school discipline reform included in the reauthorization of Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the federal government’s main education law – providing federal dollars in return for state and district efforts to meet federal education requirements.  Last reauthorized during the Bush administration as No Child Left Behind, the ESEA is currently up for reauthorization. 

 

  • Get Involved with DSC Reauthorization working groups
    While these recommendations will serve as a good starting point, there is a lot of work to be done at both the local and federal levels to make school discipline reform a part of federal law.

 

 

Stimulus Funds and Alternatives to Zero-Tolerance

The federal stimulus bill passed by Congress includes over $100 billion in funding for education and presents an opportunity for states and school districts to invest in school policies and practices that improve school climate and use positive approaches to discipline to keep children in school and improve learning. The DSC has developed advocacy materials and fact sheets on how states and districts can access these funds.

November 2009 - DSC Fact Sheet on Using Race to the Top to Support PBIS

 

The U.S. Department of Education released the state application for the Race to the Top Fund in November 2009, a $4.35 billion dollar competitive grant program created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus funding. 

In response to recommendations from the Dignity in Schools Campaign and other advocates around the country, the final application guidelines include new language encouraging states to support schools in "implementing approaches to improve school climate and discipline, such as implementing a system of positive behavioral supports (PBS)," and to develop data systems that track school climate programs and discipline (see the summary of Major Changes and find more information on Race to the Top).

The attention that Race to the Top pays to school discipline and climate can provide great leverage for state-level advocacy efforts to:

Expand training capacity at the state-level for schools and districts to improve school climate (e.g., PBS, restorative practices),
Push for implementation of approaches like PBS and restorative practices in underperforming schools, and
Collect better state- and district-level data on school discipline and tie it to student and teacher performance. 

 

April 17 - Dignity in Schools Campaign Urges Education Secretary to Improve School Discipline and Achievement Through Stimulus Funds

The Dignity in Schools Campaign, together with 24 organizations and over 40 individuals, submitted a letter to Education Secretary Arne Duncan urging the U.S. Department of Education to encourage school districts to invest federal stimulus money in Positive Behavior Supports (PBS), restorative practices and other innovative approaches to improve student behavior and achievement.
Read the Letter and Press Release.
US Department of Education Stimulus Materials 

 

Positive Behavior Supports: A Wise Investment of Economic Stimulus Funds

A publication of Southern Poverty Law Center and Dignity in Schools Campaign
Available in PDF and MS Word

 

DSC Tele-conference: How Students with Disabilities Are Being Pushed Out of School, April 7, 2009

This DSC tele-conference call includes a discussion of "How Education Stimulus Dollars Can Be Used to Solve Part of the Pushout Problem"
Listen to the call
Read the powerpoint on Stimulus Funding  

 

Evidence-Based Approaches to Positive School Climate and Discipline

Restorative Practices

Improving School Climate: Findings from Schools Implementing Restorative Practices
Research Report from International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP)

The Transformation of West Philadelphia High School: A Story of Hope
Video from IIRPOther resources from the IIRP:

Examples of Discipline Codes incorporating restorative practices:

 

Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports

Overview of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports
Powerpoint Presentation by John Gardner, Illinois PBIS Network

From Grassroots to Policy Implementation: School-wide Positive Behavior Support in Los Angeles

Powerpoint Presentation by Nancy Franklin, LAUSDOther resources on PBIS:

Examples of Discipline Codes incorporating PBS:

Listen to a recording of the November 2007 DSC tele-conference call:

Contact us to get involved.